This move went completely under the radar during the craziness of the free agency frenzy, but it was an important one.
The New York Jets have brought back running back Tevin Coleman on a one-year deal.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network and Connor Hughes of The Athletic revealed the financial details of the deal:
- $1.5 million cap hit
- $400,000 guaranteed
- $250,000 signing bonus
- $800,000 available in rushing incentives
Tevin Coleman’s one-year deal with the #Jets is worth $1.5 million. He received a $250k signing bonus.
Coleman’s base salary is $1.25 million & $400k is guaranteed. He can earn up to $800k in rushing & receiving incentives.
Cap hit is $1.5m.
Although this could be an even bigger deal than most people realize.
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Higher Than Consensus
Shortly after the re-signing was announced, Hughes said this “might not be a popular opinion” but the Jets strongly believe that Coleman “still [has] plenty of gas [left] in [the] tank.”
Might not be a popular opinion, but the #Jets believe there’s still plenty of gas in tank for Tevin Coleman. Needs to stay healthy, but his GPS numbers last year show a player who hasn’t lost a step. Doesn’t cost much to keep him, either.
Coleman is 28 years old (will turn 29 by the start of the 2022 season), although it feels like he has been in the league for far longer than that.
In his seven-year career, the veteran has only played a full season once (back in 2018). While that isn’t great by any means, Coleman doesn’t have the normal wear-and-tear of a typical running back.
He has never had a season where he toted the rock more than 167 times, so there is more tread on the tires than one would normally think.
Even beyond the statistics, based on the analytical data Coleman doesn’t seem like he has lost a step.
It is a low risk with a potentially high reward at the end of the rainbow.
Still Have to Do Their Homework
Regardless of how high you’re on a veteran running back like Coleman, you can’t put your eggs into that basket.
There are four other running backs currently on the roster heading into 2022:
Carter is going to be the 1A in the backfield, but after some injuries in his rookie campaign, Gang Green owes it to themselves to find a complementary piece.
Coleman might be the yin to the yang, but who knows if he can stay healthy. The Jets would be best served using one of their day three picks on a running back who has a little chutzpah.
NFL teams want to have multiple running backs that can do different things. What the Jets are missing is a power bigger back that can handle goal-line work and short-yardage situations.
If and when the green and white add another running back to the rotation it isn’t at all an indictment on Carter’s abilities, it is about longevity.
The more players that are in the rotation, that means the longer every running back’s career will be in the group.
Especially in this system where they like to rotate bodies in and out of the lineup. For Zach Wilson to reach the next level of his development, he will need a reliable running game that he can lean on when necessary.
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Jets Bring Back Veteran: Believe He Has ‘Plenty of Gas Left in Tank’